all things food related…

Chalkboard Cafe – a delight for all the senses!

These days, the Waterloo/Redfern/Alexandria area is bustling with scores of trendy cafes serving up some of Sydney’s best breakfast fare. Case in point, the much hyped Grounds of Alexandria, which has given the whole area a buzz to rival nearby Surry Hills for the best Sydney brunch. So it was no big inconvenience when we turned up to Kepos Street Kitchen, the cafe we were originally planning on having breakfast at, to find it was closed. Just around the corner we spotted an interesting looking cafe by the name of Chalkboard Cafe.

Not knowing what to expect, we had little expectations. Being located in the PYD Building, one of Sydney’s leading interior design centres, the CC is a stunning space showcasing a changing display of designer furniture. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the owners are the previous managers of the uber high-end Qualia resort in Hamilton Island.

What we ate:

Breakfast Tasting Plate – miniature versions of bircher muesli, strawberry pancakes and salmon egg benedict ($20): this is the first time I’ve ever seen a breakfast tasting plate. I wasn’t disappointed – what a great idea! This is almost the perfect mix for me – a healthy bircher to start, followed by the staple eggs benny and finish off with a sweet something. The salmon benedict comes on a base of potato cake, which was excellent. I hope more cafes will embrace such a concept!

Baked beans & chorizo w rye bread ($17): a very tasty dish, it’s easy to get really full on the beans. I would recommend adding a side of poached eggs, as something felt like it was missing in the dish.

Three egg omelette – w fresh herbs, cheddar cheese, toast and a choice of 3 fillings ($16): a very well done omelette, love that you can customise it to your liking.

We had a mix of coffees, chai and juice – all were good, although it would have been great to see the chai come brewed with milk. The coffee is from Double Roasters.